Red Sky at Night
by dreaming0
Summary: What could be better than a vacation on a tropical island? But when the plan goes horribly wrong, can the Host Club pull together and survive?
1. A tempting offer

**A/N: **I have been thinking through this story for a little while now. I have never been to Fiji, but have done a bit of research. If I get anything terribly wrong, please let me know. Unfortunately, I will probably not be able to update this as quickly as my last story, because I will be both moving and job hunting over the next month. I really should be typing cover letters instead of fanfics right now. Oh well.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time.

oOoOo

"Haaaruuuuhiiii!" came the cry in stereo. Haruhi sighed. She had yet to find a quiet place to study undisturbed. "Haruhi! Guess where we're going for spring break!" The twins settled themselves on either side of her at the library table. The librarian glared in their direction and put a finger to her lips. The boys just smiled at her and turned back to Haruhi. "Come on, guess!" they implored in a loud whisper.

Haruhi put down her pencil and closed her book, resigned to the fact that she would be getting no more work done until she took a guess. "I don't know," she said, "The moon perhaps?"

"Wrong!" they chorused, ignoring her sarcasm. "We're going to Fiji!"

"I'm sure you will have a wonderful time. Send me a postcard." She opened her book again, hoping that would be the end of it, but knowing that it wasn't.

Hikaru slipped the book away from her. "No, the entire host club is going! That includes you too! We're going to stay at the resort on the Ootori Corporation's private island."

"And the best part," included Kaoru excitedly, "is that it is only going to be Host Club members, not customers. You know what that means! You get to dress like a girl!"

"We already have some swimsuits picked out for you," added Hikaru.

"Well, as you both already know," she pointed out, "I do not have a passport. So you will have to have fun without me."

Hikaru and Kaoru looked at each other and nodded. A little red booklet appeared as if from nowhere and dropped on the table in front of Haruhi. She picked it up and examined the gold lettering on the front. Opening it up, she found her own face staring back at her. "Where did this come from?" she asked incredulously.

The twins giggled. "It was Kyoya's doing. With your father's help of course. We needed your photo and his signature on the application." explained Kaoru.

"His signature? What about mine?" She flipped through the pages and found the signature. She could have sworn it was her own. "How in the world…? Never mind, I don't think I want to know."

"Anyway," continued Hikaru, "we leave the Friday after next. We'll be taking our private plane to the island, so this whole vacation won't cost you a thing. We could even pack an entire wardrobe for you if you like." He added with an evil grin on his face.

"I'll pass," she replied.

The twins took turns extolling the virtues of the island destination.

"White sandy beaches…"

"Crystal blue water…"

"Tide pools…"

"Snorkeling…"

"Swimming…"

"Golfing..."

"Tennis…"

"Wind surfing…"

"Sailing…"

"Spelunking…"

"Fine dining…"

"Full service spa…"

"Enough already, you have me convinced. I guess it won't be so bad." conceded Haruhi.

"Hooray!" The twins celebration brought more glares from the librarian.

Kaoru's voice dropped to a whisper again. "We'll be staying in bures along the west side of the island. Bures are like private villas. We'll all be paired up, but you will have your own. Unless of course you would care to share ours." The twins smiled at her suggestively.

"I'll pass on that as well," she informed them. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a final exam to study for. And if I don't pass my exams, I have no intention of flying off to any tropical islands." Heeding her warning, the twins let her be and wandered off to plan all the fun they would have with their 'toy' in Fiji.

oOoOo

Haruhi stared out the window of the private plane. The sea below was indeed 'crystal blue.' They passed over hundreds of tiny islands, each a small green dot ringed in white. She imagined herself, lying on the beach of one of the deserted islands below. Perhaps then she would get some peace and quiet for a change. She was roused from her reverie by someone sitting down next to her. She turned to see Tamaki smiling at her.

"Are you enjoying your trip?" he asked.

"It has been quite pleasant so far," she confirmed. She looked around at her traveling companions. Honey had fallen asleep against Mori, as Mori looked out the window over the head of his diminutive classmate. Hikaru and Kaoru wandered up and down the short aisle playing flight attendant, handing out drinks, pillows, and magazines to the real as well as imagined passengers. Kyoya sat toward the front of the plane staring intently at a spreadsheet on his laptop. Haruhi smiled. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

"It's only going to get better," Tamaki promised. "The island is beautiful. The tourist season hasn't really started yet, so we should have plenty of privacy, but it is fully staffed in preparation of the upcoming visitors. It used to be a coconut plantation, so it is covered with tropical foliage and wildlife. Perhaps you and I could take a walk together to admire the scenery?" Tamaki suggested hopefully.

"I think that would be very nice," agreed Haruhi. She had a fondness for small animals.

"Really?!" squealed Tamaki. He leapt up and raced to the front of the plane. "Mommy, Mommy, guess what! Our daughter has agreed to go on a moonlit stroll with her dear father. I can't wait to escort my sweet little Haruhi through the tropical paradise!" Haruhi just shook her head and smiled again. She went back to gazing out the window. Perhaps this vacation wouldn't be so bad after all.


	2. Tide pools and sunsets

oOoOo

They arrived on the island in the early afternoon. A light lunch buffet awaited them as the staff took their luggage to their bures. Haruhi looked around in awe. The extravagant main complex overlooking the lagoon contained the lobby, lounge, dining pavilion, and a full service spa. 'So this is how the other half spend their vacations,' she marveled to herself.

After lunch they were taken to their bures in motorized carts, and she was no less impressed by the private villas than she was by the main complex. Each was furnished in a native style, but had all the luxuries of a five star hotel: air conditioning, king size four-poster canopy bed, marble bathroom with thermal spa tub, fully stocked bar with gourmet snacks. There were even a bathrobe and slippers made of the softest fabric she had ever felt. She could learn to like this. Stepping out the back of her bure she discovered a private porch, complete with outdoor shower and fresh water splash pool. Further out lay the white sand beach and beautiful blue ocean. A shaded hammock, tied between two palm trees called to her. She went out and lie down in it and closed her eyes.

The sound of the surf and the gentle breeze had nearly lulled her to sleep when she heard a small voice call to her. "Haruhi…Haruhi…Come with us!" It was Honey, leading Mori across the beach from their bure next door to hers. "We are going to go check out the tide pools."

"Okay," said Haruhi shaking off her slumber, "That sounds like fun." They walked along the beach until they came to a rocky outcrop. Here there was water trapped in a small pool between the rocks. The tiny world was teeming with life. There were starfish in colors so unnatural, they looked like a child had decorated them with crayons. Anemones waved their tentacles in the calm, clear water. Tiny crabs crawled over the barnacles picking for food with their teeny claws.

"Aren't they cute?" exclaimed Honey. He watched, amazed, as Haruhi picked up a small crab, and let it run over her hand. "Aren't you afraid it will pinch you?" he asked.

"Naw, they're too small to do much damage." She released the crab gently back into the water. The three sat on the rocks carefully exploring the miniature ecosystem.

A short while later Hikaru and Kaoru came running over the beach toward them. "Hello!" they called. "What are you guys up to?"

"It's a tide pool. Come see!" encouraged Honey. The twins came over and peered into the pool.

"That's nice, but we are going to go see some real fish." They held up the snorkel masks and swim fins they held in their hands. "Come with us Haruhi! There should be equipment in your bure."

"No, thanks," she declined. "I'll stick with the tide pool for today."

"Suit yourself," they shrugged and headed toward the water. She watched as they ran into the water, splashing each other and laughing. They looked like a pair of otters playing in the waves. Haruhi laughed. They were almost as fun to watch as the creatures in the tide pool. She looked back to the tide pool. Mori was reaching in to gently stroke the rough skin of a starfish, while Honey excitedly pointed out the small feathery legs of the barnacles as they reached out in search of food. The Host Club worked so hard making others happy. They deserved this vacation. She loved to see her friends having fun. Then it occurred to her; two of them were missing.

"I wonder where Tamaki and Kyoya wandered off to," she said.

"Oh, Tamaki challenged Kyoya to a round of golf," Honey explained. "I don't think Tamaki stands a chance though. He has never played before, and Kyoya frequently goes golfing with his father's business associates. He will probably enjoy not having to let his opponent win for a change." Haruhi could easily picture Kyoya gracefully losing to overweight businessmen to win favor for his family. She could also just as easily picture him beating Tamaki soundly with very little effort. The king was sure to be sullen that evening.

oOoOo

Dinner was a grand affair, with a wide array of island delicacies. Haruhi didn't know where to start. As expected, Tamaki sulked during most of dinner. "How was I supposed to know that a low score was better?" he whined. Kyoya just shook his head and tried to ignore him. Haruhi, on the other hand, hated to see him looking so down.

"Tamaki-Senpai, how would you like to take that walk this evening?" she offered.

"Tonight? Really? Of course!" Tamaki's mood brightened considerably.

"A walk with Haruhi? We want to go too!" the twins chimed in.

"Not tonight," warned Kyoya. "Daddy wants to spend some quality time with his daughter."

"Awww," Hikaru and Kaoru moaned in disappointment. They didn't argue too much though. Both of them had gotten a bit too much sun while snorkeling, and were looking forward to a cool shower and a comfortable bed.

After dinner, they all returned to their bures. Tamaki told Haruhi he would be by later to pick her up for their walk. She hoped she would be able to stay awake. It had been a long day for all of them. She decided to step out on the beach to see the sun set. She pulled on a light sweater, as a slight breeze was beginning to pick up. She grabbed a towel and walked out onto the sand. Sitting down on the towel, she gazed at the beautiful crimson sky. The view was breathtaking. She had never seen such a perfect sunset.

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight; Red sky in morning, sailor's warning," a voice chanted behind her.

"Tamaki?" she questioned, turning around. "Oh, Kyoya, it's you. You startled me."

"I'm sorry, I did not intend to," he apologized. "May I join you?"

"Of course," she said, moving over to make room on the towel for him. He sat down beside her. "What was that you were saying?" she asked.

"What? Red sky at night?" he questioned. "It's just old sailor's lore. A rhyme used to predict the weather. A red sky in the evening predicts good weather, while a red sky in the morning indicates a storm on the way. Have you ever been sailing? Perhaps we could go tomorrow."

"That sounds like fun. The weather prediction, does it really work?" she inquired.

"Well, there is some basis in fact." he admitted. "It has to do with the way the sunlight reflects off the dust particles and moisture in the air. But it really only works in areas where the weather moves from the west to the east. Fiji's weather is influenced by south-easterly trade winds. Being in the southern hemisphere, Fiji is just ending it's summer, the rainy season. Though a tropical storm is not out of the question, they tend to occur more in the beginning of the season. So, even though the saying does not really apply here, I think we can assume that this beautiful red sunset does indeed indicated good weather on the horizon. A good day for sailing."

As Haruhi listened to his explanation, his soothing voice relaxed her. Her eventful day caught up with her, and she started to drift off. As she did, she leaned over against Kyoya's shoulder. Kyoya stopped talking and looked down at her. He just smiled and let her be. She just looked too cute sleeping like that.

"What's going on here?!" a voice boomed. Haruhi immediately sat up straight, as Kyoya casually glanced over his shoulder at Tamaki.

"We are merely admiring the spectacular sunset and discussing the weather." Kyoya clarified. "Haruhi seems be a bit fatigued after the long day."

Tamaki rushed to her side. "Are you all right, my dear daughter?"

"I'm fine," she replied with a yawn. "Are you ready to go for our walk?"

"No, you should go to bed if you are tired." he insisted.

"Are you sure?" she asked. She felt bad backing out after having promised him, but she really was exhausted.

"Your well being is much more important. We can walk tomorrow. Can I ask one favor though?" he begged.

"Yes?" she queried.

"Since you got to enjoy the sunset with Mommy this evening, could you find it in your heart to share the sunrise with Daddy?" He looked at her with his puppy dog eyes, which she could never refuse.

"Of course," she agreed. "I'll see you in the morning then." With that, she wandered sleepily back to her bure and barely managed to get into her pajamas before collapsing on the bed.

oOoOo

**A/N: **Well, there's the start, let's see where it goes. I am trying to give Haruhi some time with all of the other host club members. Next time will probably be Tamaki and the twins turn. I feel like I am neglecting the twins. They are my favorites, so I'm sure they will show up more in the future.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time.


	3. A sunrise swim

It was still dark when Haruhi heard a knock on her door. She opened the door to find Tamaki standing outside with a huge grin on his face. "Good morning!" he announced.

"What time is it?" Haruhi asked, rubbing her eyes.

"It's still early, but we need to walk to the other side of the island to get the best view of the sunrise. Fortunately the island is not very wide, and there is a path that cuts right through the middle. It shouldn't take us too long."

"Oh, right. Okay," said Haruhi remembering her promise from the night before. "I'll be just a minute." She stepped back inside to get ready to go. It did not take her long, and she soon joined Tamaki outside her bure. "Ready?" she asked.

Tamaki just stared at her, mouth agape. She was wearing a yellow sundress, dotted with tiny white flowers. She had clipped a flower into her hair as well, and she radiated sweetness and innocence. Her bright eyes fairly glowed in the remaining moonlight. "You look….very….um…..nice," he stammered. He wanted to say more, but couldn't find the words. He was too busy trying to suppress his sudden urge to sweep her into his arms and kiss her. She was his daughter! What was he thinking?

"Thank-you," she replied demurely. "We best get going or we will miss it." She took him by the hand and pulled him toward the path. The sounds of hundreds of tropical birds waking surrounded them as they walked down the path. Every now and then, a colorful blur would streak by them to land on a nearby branch. Haruhi looked around in wonder, pointing out the tiny animals when she would spot them hiding in the foliage. Tamaki held her hand and watched the excited expression on her face as they walked. He loved seeing her so animated. Too often she seemed unaffected by the world around her. She did not readily show her emotions like he usually did.

The sky was already starting to lighten by the time they reached the other side of the island. They decided to walk out onto the pier at the marina. They sat down side by side on the end of the pier just as the sun began to peek above the horizon.

"Are you glad you came?" Tamaki asked once they were settled.

"To see the sunset, or to Fiji?"

"Both."

"Yes, I am quite enjoying myself. Everyone seems to be having so much fun."

"Good," Tamaki smiled and carefully placed a protective arm around Haruhi's shoulder. She did not object and he was relieved. They sat in silence as they watched the sky change from grey to yellow to orange and finally deep red. It was just as impressive as the sunset the night before. The reflection of the sunlight danced upon the gentle waves as the glowing orb illuminated the clouds on the horizon.

"Amazing," Haruhi whispered in hushed wonderment. Perhaps it was the romantic atmosphere that overwhelmed her, but she couldn't help but lean into Tamaki's embrace as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, her eyes still glued to the beautiful scene in front of her. Tamaki felt his heart flutter at her response.

Kyoya's words from the night before came back to her. "Red sky at night, sailor's delight; Red sky in morning, sailor's warning," she quoted.

"Pardon?" asked Tamaki, confused.

"Oh, just something Kyoya was telling me about last night," she explained. "An old saying sailor's used to predict the weather."

"Well, the sky is certainly red this morning. Is that bad?" Tamaki asked worriedly. He didn't want inclement weather spoiling his family's vacation.

"No, he said it doesn't really apply in this part of the world," she assured him, though she was not completely convinced herself.

Tamaki looked down at Haruhi and their eyes locked. There was that urge again. Tamaki wanted to kiss her. Where was that coming from? She was his daughter after all, wasn't she? He shouldn't feel attracted to her. His mind reeled in confusion, but before he had the chance to overreact, she spoke. "We best be getting back to meet the others for breakfast."

As she stood, she lost her balance and teetered over the edge of the pier. Tamaki reached out, but his fingers barely brushed the fabric of her dress before she fell into the water. He immediately dove in after her. The water was deep but clear, and he had no trouble finding her. He grabbed her by the wrist, pulled her toward him and headed for the surface. They broke through the water, gasping for air. Tamaki held her tightly as he swam for the shore. When they got close enough for him to stand, he picked her up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way.

"Are you okay?" he asked, setting her down on the shore.

"I think so…thank you," she said between coughs. "You seem to be making a habit out of rescuing me," she said after she had caught her breath. She looked up at him with a smile.

"That's what fathers are for," he declared. "Come on, let's get you back and dried off before you catch a cold." He put his arm around her and they walked back down the path to the bures.

oOoOo

When Haruhi got back to her bure, she peeled off her wet dress and showered. She had just finished dressing when there was a knock at her door. She opened the door to reveal Honey and Mori standing on the step.

"We were just going to walk over to the dining pavilion for breakfast. Would you care to join us?" Honey inquired.

"It would be my pleasure," she replied, pulling the door closed behind her. Haruhi's bure was on the end, and the closest to the main complex, so it did not take them long to get there. Kyoya and the twins were already there. Tamaki had not yet arrived. He was probably still cleaning himself up after their unexpected early morning swim.

"We saved you a seat Haruhi!" the twins announced pulling out a chair between them. Haruhi sighed and sat down in the offered seat. Sometimes it was easier just to submit.

Breakfast was an assortment of tropical fruits and pastries. A traditional western breakfast could be ordered from the kitchen if desired. Haruhi decided to start with some fruit. The fresh pineapple looked tempting. Honey was already making short work of a plate of pastries, while the twins and Mori ordered eggs and toast. Kyoya sipped a cup of coffee, but left the danish on his plate untouched while he leafed through a newspaper.

Tamaki eventually showed up, and was disappointed to find the seats next to Haruhi already filled. He reluctantly sat down between Kyoya and Honey and helped himself to some fruit, while he glared across the table at the twins.

Seeing this as an opportune time to annoy the king, Hikaru spoke up. "Haruhi, will you come spelunking with us this morning? There are nine different caves on this island we could explore." He looked toward her hopefully as Kaoru did the same on the other side.

"I don't know…" she began.

"But Haruhi," Kaoru interrupted with a whine, "you didn't go snorkeling with us yesterday either. Please come with us!" he pleaded.

"Well, I suppose we could go after breakfast for a little while," she agreed.

"Yea!!!" cheered the twins, throwing their arms around her as Tamaki continued to fume.

"Just don't be gone too long," warned Kyoya. "I have arranged for us to go sailing today. We will be leaving at 11:00. The kitchen is packing a lunch to take with us to eat on board. Make sure you are at the marina on time," he admonished.

"Yes sir!" they said, saluting Kyoya in unison.

"Um, Kyoya," Haruhi said timidly, "perhaps we should go sailing another day."

"Why?" questioned Kyoya, "I thought you said you wanted to go."

"Yes, but the sky was awfully red this morning. What if the weather turns bad?" she was embarrassed that she was concerned over a silly old saying, but if there was a storm, there could be thunder and lightning. She did not want to be out on a boat in a thunderstorm.

"Nonsense," Kyoya insisted. "I told you that is a myth, only slightly based on fact, and it does not pertain to the weather patterns in this part of the globe anyway. The plans have already been made, it would be a shame not to go because of a ridiculous rhyme."

"I guess you're right," Haruhi conceded, but she was still a bit worried. The club members finished breakfast. Kyoya dragged Tamaki with him to the marina to prepare the yacht for their sail, while Honey and Mori went to play a game of tennis. Hikaru and Kaoru whisked Haruhi away on their spelunking expedition. 'Such is the life on a tropical island,' she thought.

oOoOo

**A/N: **The twins are next, I promise.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time.


	4. Spelunking

oOoOo

"What's in the bag?" asked Haruhi eyeing the knapsack on Hikaru's shoulder as they walked down the path.

"It's a surprise," he teased with a grin. The brothers looked at each other and tried unsuccessfully to stifle their laughter. This did not bode well for Haruhi. She shook her head in resignation.

They finally approached the entrance to the cave they had chosen to explore. Haruhi decided it wasn't so much an exploration as it was a leisurely walk. The paths of the cave had been modified to accommodate the tourists. Electric lights lit the cave, and hand rails had been installed in any spots that might have been considered dangerous. Nevertheless, Haruhi found the rock formations in the cave interesting, and the twins even seemed to be behaving themselves, for the time being anyway.

Eventually the tunnel opened up into a large cavern. "What have we here?" the twins exclaimed in mock surprise. "It's a hot spring!" Sure enough, there was a small pool of steaming water. A hand rail had been installed to allow guests to enter safely, and there was a small canvas cabana set up next to it to serve as a changing room.

"Oh dear," Haruhi said melodramatically, "and I didn't think to bring my bathing suit. Too bad, but it can't be helped. Oh well."

The twins just stared at her with knowing grins on their faces. Hikaru took the pack off his back and pulled out swimsuits and towels. Haruhi's face fell. "Would you like to change first or shall we?" they inquired.

"After you, by all means," she said with a sigh. They disappeared into the cabana, and she briefly considered sneaking away, but knew that would upset them greatly. They had obviously had this well planned out in advance. There was no getting out of it now.

The twins stepped out dressed in swim trunks and handed Haruhi the suit they had brought for her. "Your turn," Kaoru said with a smile. She went into the changing tent and examined the bathing suit. At least it was a one piece. She undressed and slipped it on. It fit her quite well. She wrapped a towel around herself and stepped back out of the cabana. Hikaru and Kaoru were already settled into the hot spring, and they motioned for her to join them. She walked over and stood holding the hand rail. They stared at her, waiting for her to remove the towel.

'Might as well get this over with,' she thought . She unwrapped the towel and hung it over the railing. The twins eyes were glued to her as she carefully stepped into the waiting hot spring. She sank down and the warm water engulfed her. She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. This did feel good.

She opened her eyes to find a twin on either side. "It feels nice, doesn't it?" asked Hikaru.

"Uh huh," she mumbled, closing her eyes again and leaning back against a large rock. She felt a leg brush against her on one side, and an arm on the other as the brothers made themselves comfortable alongside her. She was so relaxed she didn't even care. They all sat and soaked quietly for awhile.

"What do you think of the island?" asked Kaoru, breaking the silence.

"It's beautiful," she admitted. "I've never been on such an extravagant vacation before."

"Now that you have a passport, you can come with us anytime," Hikaru offered.

"Let's not get carried away. One vacation like this is more than enough for me." she stated.

A hand gingerly caressed her arm under the water as the twins leaned closer. One of them whispered into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "No, you deserve this and much more."

"You ought to be pampered like the princess you are," came a whisper from the other side. Goosebumps formed on her arms and her heart raced. A light kiss brushed each of her cheeks simultaneously. She felt light headed. "I ought to stop them,' she thought, but her body did not respond to her commands. The world went black around her as she slipped beneath the water.

oOoOo

When Haruhi awoke, she was lying on the floor of the cave, a rolled up towel beneath her head. The twins hovered above her, looking down with great concern on their identical faces. "Look, she's waking up," one of them cried.

"What happened?" Haruhi looked around, confused.

"You passed out," said Hikaru. "We had to pull you out of the hot spring."

"It happens sometimes," explained Kaoru, "if you spend too long in the water. Especially if you are not used to it."

"We should have warned you," added Hikaru feeling guilty.

"We're sorry," they said together as they helped her to sit up.

"How are you feeling?" asked Kaoru.

Haruhi put her hand to her head. "Still a bit dizzy. I think sitting here for a few more minutes would be a good thing."

Hikaru pulled a bottle of water out of his knapsack. "Here, have a drink. It ought to help." He twisted off the cap and handed it to her.

"Thank-you," she said grasping the bottle and taking a sip. "We should be heading back soon. We don't want to anger Kyoya by being late." The twins agreed, so they took turns changing out of their swim trunks, not wanting to leave Haruhi alone.

"It's your turn," said Hikaru helping Haruhi to her feet.

"We can assist you if you like," offered Kaoru politely.

"No thank-you," she said. "I believe I can manage on my own." She walked carefully over to the cabana to dry off and change. 'Two near drownings in one day,' she thought, 'and bad luck usually comes in threes. Maybe going sailing today is a bad idea after all.' However, she couldn't figure out how to explain her irrational fear to the others. She would just have to go along and hope for the best.

"Are you going to be okay walking back?" asked the twins as she emerged from the cabana.

"I think so," she replied, "but you guys ought to stay close by just in case."

"Gladly!" They each took an arm and escorted her out of the cave.

oOoOo

**A/N: **Up next- Sailing!

-begin theme music-

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,  
A tale of a fateful trip  
That started from this tropic port  
Aboard this tiny ship.

-end theme music-

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time.


	5. Sailing

oOoOo

Unsure of the time, the trio headed straight to the marina. They arrived to find several island staff loading box after box onto a 40 foot yacht, while Kyoya stood nearby checking things off on a clip board.

"What's all this?" Haruhi asked as they approached the dock.

"Our lunch," Kyoya replied, checking off another item on his list.

"Spoiled rich bastards," Haruhi mumbled as she climbed aboard to explore the boat.

The sailboat was long and sleek. The captain's wheel stood in the stern with seating along either side. A single mast towered over 50 feet above her head. The cabin below contained a galley, a navigation station, and a bathroom. The area was small, but richly furnished with polished wood and soft cushions on the seats. There were also three separate sleeping quarters; one with a private bath. 'This boat has more bathrooms than my apartment,' noted Haruhi, shaking her head at the excessiveness of it all. She watched the staff stow the abundance of food as she tried to stay out of their way.

Back on deck, the Host Club members were finally assembled, and were nearly ready to set sail. As it turned out, most of the members, except Haruhi of course, owned boats of their own and had plenty of sailing experience. It was decided that Kyoya would act as captain, and the twins would be his first mates.

Tamaki held out a bottle of sunscreen to Haruhi. "You should put some of this on. I wouldn't want your fair skin to get burned." he said with concern.

She reached for the bottle, but it was snatched away by Hikaru. "We'll help!" proposed the twins, and they began slathering the lotion up and down her arms without waiting for a response. Tamaki seethed as he watched the pair rub their hands over his precious daughter.

Haruhi grabbed the bottle from them. "I can handle this myself," she protested, sitting down to apply the lotion to her legs. The disappointed twins shrugged and began rubbing the lotion that remained on their hands over each other.

Finally, all the preparations were done. Kyoya gave a brief talk about boating safety, pointing out the location of the life preservers and the inflatable dinghy. Haruhi made herself comfortable on deck as they motored out of the marina. She had decided it was silly to worry about old sailor lore and bad luck superstitions. She had never been sailing before, and she was determined to enjoy this trip.

They waited until they were out of the lagoon and past the coral reef before raising the sails. Once they did, the boat picked up speed. Honey called to Haruhi from the front of the boat. "Come on up here, this is fun." She carefully crawled toward the bow, where Mori and Honey sat. She settled herself between them.

"Wheeee!" called Honey as the boat bounced over the waves.

Haruhi couldn't help but smile as the breeze blew through her hair and the sea spray splashed her face. The ride up here was rougher, and it felt like she was on a roller coaster. It was fun, but her stomach couldn't take it for long. "I'm going back to the other end," she yelled over the wind as she pointed toward the stern. Again, she cautiously made her way along the side of the boat, holding tightly to the lifeline as she went.

When she reached the stern, Tamaki cried out excitedly, "Look! Over there!" He pointed out over the starboard side of the boat. There in the ocean were fins popping out of the water, coming closer to the boat. It was a school of dolphins keeping pace with them while they sailed across the water. They all watched in amazement as the dolphins swam alongside them, occasionally breaching the waves. Haruhi had never seen anything like it in her life. She was glad she hadn't backed out of this trip. Eventually the pod broke away from the boat, and Haruhi was sad to see them go.

The ocean was dotted with many small islands. Some of them had signs of life, but others were little more than a pile of sand sticking out of the water with a tree or two on them. They slowed their pace as they carefully navigated between them. They eventually found a spot that was shallow enough for them to drop the anchor and go for a swim. Hikaru and Kaoru took in the sails, while Kyoya lowered the anchor into the water.

Once everything was set, Hikaru pulled his knapsack from under the bench where he had stashed it. "Here's your swimsuit Haruhi," he said, pulling it from the bag. "It's still damp from this morning, but that should be okay. It's only going to get wet again anyway."

Tamaki grabbed the suit from Hikaru's hand. "What are you doing with Haruhi's bathing suit, and why is it wet already? I thought you just went spelunking this morning!"

The twins flanked the girl and wrapped their arms around her. "We did," they asserted, "but you never know what you might find in a dark, secluded cave." They both smirked mischievously, leaning their heads over on top of Haruhi's.

"You unscrupulous twins! Stay away from my innocent daughter!" With that he tried to pull her out of their grasp.

She struggled to free herself from all three of the boys. "Enough!" she ordered, and they all immediately let go of her. "It doesn't matter anyway. I don't plan to go swimming right now. I would rather remain on the boat." Two dips in the water had been enough for her for one day. She did not wish to tempt fate.

Secure in the knowledge that Haruhi would not be seen in a bathing suit by the others, Tamaki relented and went below to change. Honey and Mori were just emerging from the companionway having gone below to change before the argument started. Mori did a perfect dive off the back of the boat, followed closely by Honey, who jumped in holding a colorful floatation ring. Mori swam back over to the boat and asked Kyoya to hand him a rope. He tied one end to the boat and the other to Honey's ring. "I don't want you floating away," he explained.

"Thank-you Takashi!" Honey squealed, giving his friend a hug. The pair were soon joined by the twins, who each tried to see who could make the bigger splash as he hit the water. Tamaki came out and sat on the back of the boat.

"Aren't you coming in Milord?" asked Kaoru.

"Yes, the water is fine. See?" Hikaru sent a spray of water toward Tamaki so he could experience it for himself.

"Why you…!" he bellowed and dove in to chase after the twins who swam away laughing.

"Aren't you going in?" Haruhi asked Kyoya.

"No, I think it wiser to stay right here."

"I agree," she replied with a chuckle watching the chaos in the water.

"Are you still worried about bad weather?" he asked.

Haruhi looked up. The sky above them was a brilliant blue. "No, I guess not."

"Then, you're glad you came?"

"Absolutely."

"Good, I would hate to think you weren't enjoying yourself."

"Kyoya, I'm surprised," she said looking up at him. "Why would you care if I were enjoying myself or not? What do you get out of it?"

Kyoya hesitated before answering. "I thought it would be apparent. The Host Club came on this vacation to relax and reduce stress. When we return to school, we will all be refreshed, and will be able to do our best as hosts and increase our profit."

"Right," she said, unconvinced. She smiled when she noticed a slight blush to his cheeks. Perhaps there was more to this boy than she thought.

Kyoya was feeling exceedingly uncomfortable. He did not like it when someone could see through him so easily. He had developed a fondness for the girl, but his father had also taken a liking to her. If Kyoya pursued her, he would be playing right into his father's hand. He did not like being manipulated like that. But was that a good enough reason not to go after something he desired. He looked at her as she watched the others playing in the water. She laughed as the twins dunked Tamaki under. What was it about this plain looking commoner that intrigued him so? She suddenly turned and saw him staring at her.

"Kyoya?" she questioned.

"Oh,…I was just…thinking," he replied, flustered at being caught off guard. "Maybe we should start preparing lunch."

"Good idea," she said, standing up. "I'll go get started. Why don't you tell the others so they can get out and get dried off?" She went below deck to see what had been delivered for lunch.

Lunch was not the light picnic Haruhi would expect for an afternoon outing. It was more like the grand buffet on a luxury cruise. The hosts all sat around and ate their fill of the high class fare while they laughed and joked. Everyone was having such a good time that none of them noticed the dark clouds gathering to the south east. Perhaps if they had, their excursion might have turned out differently.

oOoOo

**A/N: **I know what you're thinking. "Enough foreshadowing! Get on with it already!" You're right. Up next…the storm arrives!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time


	6. The storm

oOoOo

Haruhi was the first to hear the rumble of thunder in the distance. She had always been overly sensitive to the sound because of her fear. "Did you hear that?" she asked in alarm. The others looked around. For the first time they noticed the clouds forming in the sky.

"Perhaps it would be best if we headed back," proposed Kyoya. He raised the anchor while the twins began to put up the sails. The others cleared away the remains of lunch.

The wind picked up rapidly as they worked, and the waves began to swell. There was a flash of lightning followed closely by a loud crack of thunder. Haruhi shrieked and covered her ears. "Get her below deck," Kyoya shouted to Tamaki, who immediately complied. The storm was approaching rapidly. Kyoya struggled to get the boat turned around. It was not easy to maneuver in the high winds. Waves had begun to wash over the deck of the boat. The boat began to list to the port side, pushed by the strong winds.

Kyoya began shouting orders. "Hikaru, Kaoru, lower the sails. This wind is too much."

"Hai," they acknowledged and obeyed his command.

"Honey, Mori, get the life jackets. Make sure everyone puts one on." They too followed his orders.

Below deck Tamaki tried his best to comfort a terror stricken Haruhi. Honey brought them life jackets, and Tamaki helped the trembling girl into one before putting on his own.

Just then there was an enormous boom as lightning struck the mast. The boat shook with the force of the blow. Haruhi screamed and clung to Tamaki. He wrapped his arms protectively around her and stroked her hair trying to soothe her.

Up on the deck, the twins struggled with the sails. Something had jammed in the automatic system. The sails had come down half way but would go no further. The winds continued to push the boat sideways.

"You'll have to bring them down manually," Kyoya called to the twins. "But you will have to free the lines first."

"I'll get it," Hikaru shouted as he climbed into the rigging.

"Hikaru, be careful!" Kaoru called up to him.

"Mori," Kyoya yelled, "Go below and see if you can send a distress signal on the radio." Mori nodded and went down the companionway.

Kyoya tried to engage the engine, hoping to motor to the nearest inhabited island to weather the storm. It would not turn over. He tried again and again, but to no avail. Mori returned from below deck. "The radio is not working," he reported.

"Damn!" cursed Kyoya. "The lightning must have shorted out the electrical systems."

"Also, the rear cabin seems to be taking on water." Mori informed him.

"Take the wheel," he ordered. "Try to hold her steady." He went below to investigate. Sure enough, water was pooling on the floor of the sleeping quarters. The boat was equipped with a lightning protection system that was intended to conduct the current harmlessly down through a ground plate on the bottom of the boat. The strike must have been so powerful that the hull had been damaged as it passed through.

By the time he returned to the deck, the rain had started. It was coming down in sheets. Kyoya took the wheel back from Mori and attempted to point them toward the nearest landmass, inhabited or not. "Mori, there is a bilge pump below. You can access it under the bed in the rear cabin. See if you and Honey can get some of that water out of there. You will have to pump it manually since the electrical system is shot." Mori immediately obeyed.

Hikaru was still up in the rigging. "I think I've got it," he yelled down to Kaoru. "Try it now." Kaoru tugged on the rope he was holding, and he felt the weight of the sail. He quickly began to lower it.

Suddenly there was a loud crash, and the boat lurched to the side. Hikaru was thrown clear of the rigging and into the water.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru cried. The boat bounced off the rock it had hit and began to head away from where Hikaru had fallen into the water.

Kyoya pulled out the inflatable life raft and struggled to open it. He looked up in time to see a colossal wave wash over the deck. The force of the water pushed him backward, and he too ended up in the ocean. The boat continued to move away from the two floundering boys.

No longer manned, the captain's wheel spun wildly. The boat was tossed upon the waves mercilessly. Below deck, the water continued to pour in. It was now coming in the front as well, from where the hull had hit the rock. Honey and Mori gave up on pumping. They could not keep up. They went back into the main cabin to collect Tamaki and Haruhi.

"Come on," Honey called to them. "We have to go up top."

"No, I can't!" Haruhi cried in panic as the water rose around her.

Tamaki put his arm around her, encouraging her to stand up. "Come, we have to go. It is no longer safe here." Haruhi stood reluctantly and was led up the companionway.

The reached the deck to find a terrified Kaoru. He grabbed Tamaki by the shirt. "Hikaru and Kyoya, they're gone! We have to go back that way!" he screamed pointing toward the back of the boat. Just then the boat was lifted high into the air on top of another huge wave. It came down with a sickening crash upon the nearby rocks. The remaining passengers were thrown violently into the ocean as the boat splintered beneath them.

oOoOo

**A/N:** Having never been shipwrecked myself, I used my limited knowledge of sailing and did the best I could. I hope it is believable enough.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time


	7. A night at sea

oOoOo

The five of them hit the water, and their momentum forced them below the surface. The life jackets did their job though, and soon all five had popped back up gasping and choking. All of them that is except Kaoru. He had come to the surface, but lay motionless in the water. Tamaki and Haruhi swam toward him. Mori grabbed Honey and headed to a large piece of debris floating nearby. It turned out to be a section of the cabin roof. He heaved Honey on top of it and began pushing it in the direction of the other three.

Tamaki and Haruhi had reached Kaoru. He was unconscious but still breathing. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead. He must have hit it on a rock or the boat as they went down. They grabbed his life jacket and began to pull him toward Mori and the makeshift raft. Haruhi climbed on first, and she and Honey helped to pull Kaoru's limp body aboard. Mori and Tamaki remained in the water and began to gather all the flotsam and jetsam that they could. They grabbed anything they thought might be useful: a length of rope, a remnant of sail cloth, seat cushions, Honey's floatation ring.

The storm began to subside almost as quickly as it had arrived. The waves calmed and the rain stopped. Haruhi could see the sun peeking through the clouds in the distance; shining down in rays as though an angel might suddenly appear. She scanned the surface of the water for any sign of the two missing boys. All she saw was debris from the wrecked sailboat.

"How's Kaoru?" Tamaki asked as he deposited a sack he had found in the water onto the raft.

"Not good," she said, frowning. "We need to find something to bandage his head."

"Check and see what's in here," he pushed the soggy bundle toward her. It was Hikaru's knapsack. It still contained her bathing suit, the towels they had used that morning, and two and a half bottles of water. She had not finished the one Hikaru had given her at the hot spring. The towels proved too difficult to tear, so she pressed the corner of one against Kaoru's wound, hoping to stanch the blood. She placed another beneath his head.

She looked down sadly at the unconscious boy. He looked as though he were merely sleeping, if not for the blood seeping though the towel. Perhaps it was for the best that he was not awake. He would be frantic about his missing twin. How had things gotten so bad so quickly? Just that morning they had been having a wonderful time on a tropical island, and now it was as if the world had been torn apart. Haruhi wished she had trusted her instincts and insisted that they not go sailing. But she didn't want to spoil everyone's fun. How could she know what would happen?

It was a tight squeeze, but Tamaki and Mori managed to climb on to the cabin roof with the others. They all sat in shock, contemplating their hopeless situation. Haruhi was the first to break the silence. "Now what?" was all she could think to say.

"We have to try to find Kyoya and Hikaru. Maybe we could paddle back there," Tamaki suggested.

"Does anyone know which direction that might be?" asked Haruhi. They all looked around in dismay. Other than the few rocks protruding from the water, they had no point of reference. They could see some islands in the distance, but they all looked the same. They had no idea in which direction the boys might lie.

"KYO-CHAN! HIKA-CHAN!" Honey called out repeatedly, as loudly as he could, but no response came. "They're gone!" he sobbed, his voice hoarse. He burst into tears. Mori put a comforting arm around him.

Seeing Honey cry, Haruhi could hold back no longer. Large, wet drops began to stream down her face. Tamaki crawled to her side and pulled her into an embrace. For awhile, they cried on each other's shoulders, overwhelmed by despair.

oOoOo

Eventually their sobs subsided. Crying would not save them. Honey sat sniffling on Mori's lap, as Haruhi released her grip on Tamaki and picked up a towel to wipe her face. She turned her attention back to Kaoru. The towel had slipped from his head, which continued to bleed. She found a relatively clean section of the towel and applied pressure to the wound again.

"We should probably try to get to one of the islands," offered Tamaki. They looked around at the distant landforms. It was difficult to tell which one was closest.

"Maybe we should wait a bit and see which way the current is taking us," Haruhi suggested. "It would be a waste of energy to fight against it." The others agreed, and they watched to see which direction they were headed. As they waited, the sun sank to the horizon. Haruhi watched, remembering the sunset she had seen with Kyoya just the night before. How could this one be just as beautiful after such a tragedy? How could the Earth continue to turn as though nothing had happened? Haruhi fought the tears that were returning to her eyes.

Soon it became apparent that one of the islands was closer than the others. Mori and Tamaki slipped back into the water and attempted to propel the raft in that direction. Honey used a plank they had salvaged to try and paddle over the side of the raft. Their progress was slow as the light faded. Soon it was too dark to be sure they were still headed in the right direction. Tamaki and Mori gave up and climbed back out of the water. They would have to hope that the current would continue taking them toward land.

"I'm thirsty," whined Honey.

"Here," Haruhi offered him the opened bottle of water. "Just don't drink too much. We may need to make it last." They passed the bottle around, each taking only a small sip but wanting more. The bottle was nearly empty by the time they were done.

Honey rubbed his eyes and yawned. He lay his head in Mori's lap and was soon asleep. It seemed as though he could sleep anywhere. Haruhi was exhausted, but could not sleep. She sat next to Tamaki and looked up at the sky. The moon had risen, giving everything an eerie glow. Stars filled the sky. Haruhi was not used to seeing so many. Without the bright lights of the city, each tiny star glowed intensely. At any other time she would have been awestruck by the beauty of it. A breeze blew and Haruhi shivered. All of them were still soaking wet, and the night was chilly.

"Here," Tamaki said, tugging on the piece of sail cloth. It was made of nylon, so it had dried quickly and would act as a windbreak. It was large enough to spread over all five of them. Tamaki and Haruhi sat huddled under their end of the cloth. Tamaki put his arm around her for added warmth. She still shook.

"Everything will be okay," he tried to reassure her. "Someone will find us soon. They must have sent out the entire Ootori search team by now. They will find us and take us back to the island. Kyoya and Hikaru will be waiting there for us, safe and warm and dry. There will be a big dinner to welcome us back. There will be crab and fat tuna, and all the cake Honey can eat."

Haruhi lay her head against Tamaki's shoulder as she listened to his fairy tale. She knew none of it was true, but his soothing voice made it seem real. She drifted into a light sleep.

"Look!" The sudden cry from Mori startled her awake, and she sat up in surprise. Mori was pointing off into the distance. There in the sky a light was flashing. At first it looked like just another star, but it was moving. It was a plane, or maybe a helicopter. It was hard to tell from so far away. It came closer and they could see that it was shining a light on the sea below. It was looking for them! They all began to wave their arms and shout. They didn't care if it was pointless. They could be neither seen nor heard from this distance, but they couldn't just sit there and do nothing. They watched in dismay as the aircraft moved off in the other direction. They became silent once again as they watched the blinking light disappear in the distance.

Somehow Honey had remained asleep despite the din. Mori curled himself around his small friend, and soon, he too had dozed off.

Haruhi checked on Kaoru again. He was still out, but breathing steadily. As near as she could tell in the dark, the bleeding had stopped. She lie down next to him with Tamaki on her other side. "Sleep well," Tamaki whispered to her as he wrapped an arm around her. For a long while she lie there, listening to the sound of the water lapping against the edge of the raft. Eventually, she succumbed to fatigue and fell asleep.

Haruhi did not know how long she had slept before she was awoken by yet another cry in the night.

"HIKARU!"

Haruhi felt a sudden chill as the sail cloth was ripped away, and the raft began to pitch violently in the water. She grabbed the nearest thing for support, which turned out to be Tamaki. She heard a splash, quickly followed by two more.

oOoOo

Kaoru had awoken in the darkness. His head throbbed, and he instinctively reached for Hikaru. His twin was not there. Where was he? What was going on? He sat up, trying to focus his eyes in the dim light. Suddenly it all came back to him; the boat, the storm, Hikaru falling into the water.

"HIKARU!" he cried leaping up. The sudden movement made the raft tip precariously, and Kaoru fell over the side taking a surprised Honey and Mori with him.

"Kaoru!" Haruhi called once she realized what had happened. There was splashing in the water as she scrambled to the side of the raft.

"I can stand," stated Mori plainly. Haruhi looked over, and sure enough, there in the pre-dawn light stood Mori, waist deep in water and holding Honey in his arms. Kaoru was still flailing wildly in a panic. Tamaki jumped into the water and did his best to restrain the frantic twin.

While they had slept, their tiny raft had drifted closer to the nearest island. They stood in the shallows, not far from the beach. Tamaki managed to calm Kaoru a bit, and convinced him to get back on the raft. Mori set Honey back on the raft as well, and with Tamaki's help, pushed the raft to the shore and dragged it up on the beach.

Haruhi sat next to Kaoru on the raft as they rode toward the beach. "What happened?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"The boat hit the rocks," she replied. "It was destroyed." She reached up and gently brushed his hair away from his forehead. "How is your head?" she asked.

"It hurts," he said, touching it gingerly with the tips of his fingers. Kaoru saw the knapsack lying on the raft. He picked it up and clutched it to his chest. He paused for a long time before he finally asked, "Where's Hikaru?"

Haruhi choked on her words, "We couldn't find him."

"And Kyoya?" Haruhi bit her lip and shook her head. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She knew if she spoke she would begin sobbing again.

Kaoru just stared, his eyes blank, his face expressionless. He was numb. The world held no meaning for him now.

**A/N: **My that was a long chapter. I hope I have fulfilled my daily angst quota. I'm sure there will be more to come. Thank you to all the people who have read and reviewed my story. Reviews are very motivating for quick updates.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time.


	8. The Island

oOoOo

"Come on, Kaoru," Haruhi encouraged, trying to get him off the cabin roof so that Tamaki and Mori could carry it farther away from the water. Kaoru stood and allowed Haruhi to lead him away from the raft. She sat him down on a rock and went back to the raft. She collected the three towels. Two of them were just wet. She draped them over a bush so they would dry out. The blood soaked towel she submerged in the water, hoping to rinse away the stains. The water turned pink as she swished the towel around. She could not get it completely clean, but it was better than it was.

Tamaki and Mori set the cabin roof section down under the edge of the trees that lined the beach. As soon as the sun reached its apex, it would be hot, and the shade would be welcome. The piece of debris could now serve as a platform to keep them from having to sit on the hot sand.

"We should probably take a look around," suggested Tamaki. "This island might be inhabited."

"I don't think Kaoru is in any condition to go anywhere." Haruhi looked over at the boy who still sat where she had left him.

"We'll go!" Honey volunteered, and Mori nodded his consent.

"Okay," agreed Tamaki. "Why don't you two go in that direction," he said, pointing down the beach, "and I'll see what I can find this way. Haruhi, you stay here and look after Kaoru." As the boys headed off down the beach in opposite directions, Haruhi went over to Kaoru.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. He did not respond. "Kaoru?" He finally looked in her direction, but not at her; more like through her. "Kaoru?" she asked again, "Are you okay?" He just blinked slowly and looked away again. "It's getting hot," she said. "Let's go sit in the shade." She took him by the hand and he stood up. They walked over to the shaded platform and sat down. She helped him out of his life jacket, having already removed her own. "Let me see your head." She carefully brushed the hair away from his forehead. It wasn't easy. His hair was stuck to his forehead, both covered with dried blood. The wound itself was no longer bleeding, but it didn't look good. It was red and swollen, and the area around it felt hot to the touch. She felt she ought to clean it, but they had so little fresh water. She didn't know what she should do. Before she could decide, Kaoru turned away from her. He lie down on the platform. She gently stroked the back of his head to comfort him. "It'll be okay, everything will be okay," she said soothingly. She wished she was telling the truth.

oOoOo

Kaoru's head felt like it was filled with cotton. Everything seemed like it was moving in slow motion; somehow surreal. This was just some bizarre dream, and nothing made sense. He wished that Hikaru would just wake him up, and it would end. Hikaru, he thought. Something about Hikaru. He tried to focus on what it was, but his mind wouldn't let him. It drifted off in another direction. Someone was talking to him; a girl. She wanted him to go somewhere. He did. He sat back down. The girl was still with him. She touched his head. It hurt. Why did his head hurt? He felt tired. Maybe he should lie down. Yes, that would be good. He lay down where he sat and curled up. Someone ran fingers through his hair. 'Ah, that feels good, Hikaru,' he thought as he slipped into a merciful sleep.

oOoOo

Haruhi watched the sleeping twin for awhile. She was worried about him. He was acting so strangely, and he needed medical attention. His cut looked like it was becoming infected, which was no surprise. She glanced up to see Tamaki returning down the beach. "That was fast," she commented as he got nearer. "Did you find anything?"

"There were rocky cliffs at the end of the beach in that direction. I couldn't go any further," he explained. "I found some more junk though." He held up a length of nylon rope and an empty plastic container that had once held part of their lunch from the day before. Haruhi wished it was still full. She was hungry, but water was far more important right now.

"We need to find more fresh water," she said. "These few bottles won't last long, and I'd like to use some to clean out Kaoru's wound. It appears to be getting infected."

"How is he doing?" asked Tamaki with concern.

"I think he is in shock. He acts like he doesn't know where he is or what's going on. It's like his body is on auto-pilot."

"We'd better keep a close eye on him. There's no telling what he might do. You keep watching him. I'll go see if I can find any water. There might be a stream or spring or something." He dropped the rope next to the platform and, taking the plastic container with him, headed off into the trees.

"Be careful," Haruhi called after him. "We don't know what might be in there." After he had disappeared from view, Haruhi looked around. Kaoru was still sleeping soundly. She wanted to make herself useful, so she decided to take an inventory of their resources. All together they had: three beach towels, one girl's swimsuit, a knapsack, two full bottles of water, one nearly empty bottle of water, two ropes, one flotation ring with another rope attached to it, a large piece of nylon sail cloth, a few wooden planks, two seat cushions, five life jackets, the clothes that they wore, the cabin roof, and the plastic container that Tamaki had taken. It wasn't much to work with, but it would have to do.

Haruhi wished that they had a knife, and maybe some matches or a lighter. They could build a signal fire, and if they ended up being here overnight, it would get cold. Maybe they could figure out how to get one started. Haruhi set about gathering up fallen sticks, twigs, and branches to use as firewood, just in case. She didn't dare wander too far away from Kaoru. He hadn't moved at all, but she wanted to keep him in her line of sight.

Haruhi was not sure how much time had passed before Tamaki emerged from the undergrowth. "Any luck?" she asked hopefully. He held up the container. It had about an inch of water in the bottom.

"There were no springs or anything, that I could find anyway. This I managed to gather from some large leaves where it must have collected during the rain yesterday. It was evaporating quickly though, and I didn't get much. I drank some. It tastes a bit funny, but at least it's not salt water. You should drink some too." He handed her the bucket, and she took a sip. It did taste odd, but it was wet and she was thankful for it. It was not a surprise that there was no fresh water source. Many of the tiny islands in Fiji had no fresh water, especially the uninhabited ones. Even the island with the resort relied upon a water purification system.

"Any sign of Honey or Mori?" Tamaki asked.

"No," answered Haruhi, shaking her head. She was not sure how long they had been gone, but the sun was nearly overhead, so several hours must have passed. "I hope they are okay."

"Oh, and I found these!" Tamaki said excitedly as he pulled two bananas out of his back pockets. "There were more, but I couldn't carry them. I saw coconuts too, but they were too high up." He peeled one banana, broke it in half and gave half to Haruhi. It was not quite ripe, but being the first thing she had eaten in 24 hours, it tasted like heaven.

"Maybe we can go back later with the knapsack and collect more bananas." Haruhi suggested. "First, can you help me with this," she said, indicating the sail cloth. "I thought maybe we could use the rope and tie it up like a tarp for shelter." Working together, they spread the cloth out on the sand. Unfolded, it was much bigger than they originally thought. In fact, it was an entire sail. It was large and triangular, made with bright red, orange, and yellow nylon fabric. It was very lightweight, like a parachute.

"It's the spinnaker," Tamaki revealed. "It's the large sail that billows out in the front of the sailboat. They are only used at certain times during a sail, and are hoisted while underway. That's why it wasn't attached to the mast. Lucky for us, or it would have been swimming with the fishes like everything else from the boat." He was really only referring to the boat itself sinking, but he couldn't help but think of their two missing friends. His matter of fact comment must have sounded very callous, because Haruhi was looking at him oddly. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"I know," she said, "It's okay."

They looked around to find some likely looking trees to tie the spinnaker to. Tamaki found three palm trees that were spaced far enough apart, but they were farther down the beach.

"Do you think it will be okay to leave Kaoru?" Haruhi asked. He was still sleeping for the moment, but he had been out for awhile and might wake up at any time. "Maybe we should wait for Honey and Mori to get back."

Tamaki looked up at the sky. Clouds were beginning to form. "It looks like we might get some rain this afternoon. We'll want to get the spinnaker up before that so we can catch the rain."

"I guess you're right," she agreed reluctantly. She checked on Kaoru once more before she and Tamaki headed down the beach with the spinnaker and ropes. They laced a rope through the grommet on each corner of the sail and tied each rope around a tree trunk as tightly as they could, stretching the sail between the three trees. It hung down pretty low. Maybe when Mori got there he could tie the ropes higher up on the trees. They had just finished tightening the last rope when the first big wet raindrops began to fall from the sky. Haruhi had never been so happy to see the rain. This was no storm; just a nice, drenching, tropical shower. Haruhi looked up at the sky feeling the drops on her face, and smiled for the first time since the day before.

"We should probably go get our stuff and bring it over here out of the rain," said Tamaki. "The cabin roof is probably too heavy for just the two of us, but we can get the other things."

"Good idea," said Haruhi, refreshed by her brief moment of happiness.

When they got back to the platform, something was missing. "Kaoru! Where's Kaoru?" shouted Haruhi, looking around in panic. Finally, she spotted him. He was standing knee deep in the surf, and looked to be walking farther out into the ocean. Haruhi and Tamaki bolted across the sand and into the water after him. He was moving slowly, and they managed to catch up to him before he got too far.

"Kaoru! Stop! Kaoru, what are you doing?" gasped Haruhi grabbing him by the arm.

He stopped and looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face. "Something's missing," he said. "I think it's out here. I have to find it."

"No Kaoru, it's this way. You'll find it this way," she said trying to convince the confused twin to turn around. She and Tamaki managed to get him headed back toward the beach. As they walked to the platform, Tamaki noticed two figures far away down the beach. As the pair approached, it became clear from their height difference that it was Honey and Mori.

"Hello," called Honey, "we're back! We didn't find any people, but we found these!" He pointed to a lumpy bundle that Mori was carrying. Mori had taken off his shirt and the two of them had filled it with coconuts.

"Good," answered Haruhi. "We rigged up some shelter over that way," she said pointing toward where they had tied up the spinnaker. "Can you help us bring our stuff over there?" They gathered their meager belongings and brought them over to the shelter to get them out of the rain. Haruhi made sure that Kaoru came with them. Tamaki and Mori went back to retrieve the cabin roof.

"Sorry it hangs so low," Haruhi said to Honey. "We couldn't reach to tie it any higher. We thought maybe Mori could help fix it."

"I'll take care of it," offered Honey and he easily shimmied up one of the palm trees and pushed the rope up higher. He did the same with the remaining two. "How's that?" he asked proudly.

"That's perfect! Thank you Honey-Senpai!" she praised. The others returned with the platform, and they settled it beneath the hanging sail. All of them, with the exception of Mori, could stand upright on the platform beneath the spinnaker without touching it. It hung lowest in the middle, where they could see water beginning to collect. There was not much yet, but more than they had before.

"Since it looks like we will be getting some more water, does anyone object if I use the rest of this bottle to clean Kaoru's wound?" She held up the almost empty bottle, and they all approved of the idea. She picked up the already stained towel. It was wet again from being out in the rain, but at least that might have rinsed out some of the salt water. She got Kaoru to lie down again, with his head propped up on one of the life jackets. First she tried to clean the dried blood out of his hair with the damp towel, then she poured a bit of the water over the festering wound and blotted it with the towel. The silent twin did not even flinch, even though the pain must have been intense.

"I collected some firewood," said Haruhi, trying to distract herself from the pain she was causing as she tended to Kaoru, "I thought we might try building a signal fire, but now the wood is all wet anyway."

"It should dry out quickly enough once the rain stops," Tamaki assured her. "Does anyone know how to start a fire without matches?" They all shook their heads.

"I've heard you can rub two sticks together," offered Honey.

"It's probably not as easy as it sounds," cautioned Mori.

"Well, we can always give it a try later," said Tamaki optimistically.

Tamaki shared the rest of the water he had collected from the leaves with Honey and Mori, then they set to work trying to crack the coconuts open with a rock. While they worked, Honey and Mori described how they had walked nearly all the way around the island, but were stopped by towering cliffs on the southern end, so they turned around and headed back. They had seen no signs of life during their trek. They decided that the cliffs must have been the same ones that Tamaki had seen, only they saw them from the other side.

The rain eventually let up. Tamaki took the knapsack and went off to retrieve more bananas. Mori finally managed to get one of the coconuts opened, and they shared the milk inside before peeling out the meat to chew on. They filled the plastic container with water from the spinnaker, and they all took a long drink. Haruhi filled the empty bottle with water and tried to get Kaoru to drink some, but he wouldn't. She couldn't get him to eat any coconut or banana either. Honey spent about an hour trying to rub two sticks together, and only ended up with a pair of warm sticks.

Soon the afternoon passed to evening, and another painfully beautiful sunset spread itself across the sky. Once it became too dark to see, they all lay down on the platform, using the life jackets and seat cushions as pillows and the beach towels as blankets. They made sure Kaoru was in the middle, with Haruhi on one side and Mori on the other. If he decided to get up and wander in the middle of the night, they wanted to know about it. They all huddled close together for warmth, and eventually fell asleep.

oOoOo

**A/N:** For those of you concerned about Kyoya and Hikaru, their story will eventually be told. Be patient. Keep reading and reviewing. I really do appreciate it.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time.


	9. The bubble bursts

oOoOo

"Kaoru! There you are! I have been looking all over for you. What are you doing in there?"

Kaoru sat inside a bubble floating on the water. "It's safer in here," he replied looking out at his twin. Hikaru stood on top of the water. Kaoru smiled at him. He had always known that his twin could walk on water, and now he had proof.

"But I can't get to you while you are in there?" Hikaru protested.

"If I come out, it will hurt too much," Kaoru argued.

"Don't you want to find me too?"

"Of course I do, but how can I?"

"Obviously you can't while you are stuck in that thing?" he said, indicating the isolating sphere surrounding his brother.

Kaoru placed a hand on the surface of the bubble. "But it's protecting me."

"I'll protect you," Hikaru pledged.

"How can you? You're gone."

"Do you think I could ever possibly leave you? We belong to each other. We are a part of each other. I could no more leave you than I could leave my right arm. All you need to do is call out for me, and I will come running. You know that," Hikaru admonished.

"But I don't know how to get out. I've tried."

"Then you haven't tried hard enough. Maybe you want to stay in there alone."

"No," Kaoru cried. "I don't want to be alone!"

"Then come with me," Hikaru held out a hand to his twin.

Kaoru placed both hands on the bubble and pushed. Nothing happened. "I can't do it," he confessed.

"If you want to give up so easily, fine with me," Hikaru said, turning to walk away across the waves. "You just let me know when you're ready."

"No! Hikaru don't go! Come back! I need you!" Kaoru began pounding furiously on the bubble as Hikaru got farther and farther away. "Hikaru, please!" Suddenly the bubble burst. Kaoru fell into the cold water and went under. Flailing, he struggled to the surface. Gasping for air, he called out, "Hikaru! I'm here! Come find me! Help me! Hikaru! Hikaru!"

oOoOo

"HIKARU! HIKARU!"

Haruhi woke up when she heard Kaoru's cries. The twin was thrashing in his sleep next to her. "Kaoru, shhhh, it's okay. It's just a bad dream," she grabbed at his arms to keep him from striking her and to calm him down.

Kaoru finally awoke to the sound of her voice. "Haruhi?"

"I'm here," she assured him.

"Oh Haruhi," he sobbed. "He's gone. He left me alone. He's gone."

She pulled the trembling boy into her arms and held him tightly. "I know," she whispered. "I know." She was glad he seemed to have returned to reality, but pitied him for the pain he would now have to endure. He cried, clinging to her for a long time. Each tear a precious drop of water leaving his already dehydrated body. The others, who had awoken from the commotion, sat nearby wishing they could do something to help. By the time morning had dawned, he had cried himself out. He sat in silence, still cradled in Haruhi's arms.

"Kaoru?" she said softly, gently caressing his head. He felt warm.

"Hmm," he responded.

"You still with us?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Good. I was worried you were going to go zombie on us again."

"No, I won't," he promised.

"Can you sit up?" she asked, helping him into a sitting position. She made sure he wasn't going to fall over before letting go of him to reach for one of the water bottles. She cracked open the top and held it out to him. "Here, you really need to drink some water." He just shook his head. "It's not an option," she demanded. "You need to drink some." He took the bottle and drank only a small sip before handing it back to her. 'Well, that's better than nothing,' she thought. 'I'll get some more into him later.'

"Anyone want some breakfast?" offered Tamaki. "We have two choices this morning, bananas and coconuts or coconuts and bananas."

"I'll have bananas and coconut!" chirped Honey.

"Coming right up," answered Tamaki. He picked out a coconut and began pounding on it with a rock to crack it open. With each echoing strike, Kaoru felt as though the rock was hitting his head. He clutched his head between his hands and groaned. As soon as Tamaki noticed the twin's distress he stopped. "Oh Kaoru, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I'll go do this somewhere else." He picked up the coconut and the rock and headed away from the shelter.

"Let me take a look at your head," Haruhi insisted. It looked even worse today.

"Ouch! That hurts!" Kaoru complained when she touched the area around the injury. He knocked her hand away.

"You know, this was much easier when you were Zombie Kaoru," she quipped.

"Sorry," he said apologetically.

"No, it's okay. I'm glad to have the real you back." She attempted to clean the wound again, and he tried his best not to whine too much.

Soon, Tamaki returned with the split open coconut, and they ate their simple breakfast. Haruhi managed to convince Kaoru to try some banana, but he couldn't keep it down, and he ended up losing most of the water he had drank as well. After that, he curled up on the platform and fell back to sleep.

"We should probably try not to do much today," Haruhi suggested. "We shouldn't expend any more energy than necessary." So most of the day was spent sitting in the shade, watching the ocean in hopes of seeing a boat. By midday it had gotten very hot. The clear blue sky showed no indication of a cooling shower like the day before.

"It's too hot," complained Honey. "I know! Let's go swimming Takashi. We are on a beach after all." He peeled off his shirt, kicked off his sandals and ran to the water. Mori followed after him dutifully.

"That does look refreshing," commented Tamaki. "Would you care to join them?" he asked Haruhi.

"I would, but I don't want to get my clothes all wet again," she replied. "They are finally dry for the first time in two days."

"You do have a bathing suit you know," came a quiet voice from behind her.

"Kaoru, you're awake," she said turning around. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap," he answered truthfully, "But I might feel better if I got to see you in that suit again," he added with a smirk.

"Again?!" Tamaki began to protest out of habit, but backed off when he glimpsed Kaoru lying pitifully on the platform. How could he deny the poor suffering boy this simple pleasure? Haruhi was just happy to have seen a hint of the old Kaoru back again. She grabbed the suit and a towel and went off into the bushes to change.

She came back out moments later with the towel wrapped around her and her clothes in her hand. She placed the clothes on the platform. Tamaki had already gone to join Honey and Mori in the water.

"Well," Kaoru said expectantly. "Let's see it." She opened the towel to give him a peek at the suit and he smiled.

She wrapped the towel back around her. "Are you going to be okay up here by yourself?" she asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "I'll just watch you guys from here."

"At least have some more water before I go," she handed him the remains of the bottle she had opened that morning. There was not much left in it now, and he finished it off.

"Happy?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied with a smile before turning to walk down to the shore.

The water felt nice and cool. Haruhi tried to scrub away some of the dirt and sweat that covered her body. After their night at sea, Haruhi swore she would never go swimming again, but this felt too good. She tried to pretend that they were just spending a fun day relaxing at the beach. She floated in the water, letting the gentle waves lift her body up and down.

As she lay there, she thought she heard a rumbling sound in the sky. "Is that thunder?" she questioned nervously. It couldn't be though; they sky was too clear and the noise too steady. The rest of them heard it too, and they all looked up.

Finally Honey saw the source of the noise and pointed at it. "Look! It's a plane!" he cried. They all ran up onto the sand and began waving frantically. The plane came closer and flew over their heads. They watched as it circled around and came back again flying even lower. They continued to jump and wave at the aircraft. After one more pass it flew off, and disappeared from view.

"They saw us," Tamaki asserted, staring at the empty sky. "They had to have seen us."

"I'm sure they did," agreed Haruhi. "They'll be back. They couldn't have landed that plane here. They will send a boat or something. I'm sure of it. Come on. Let's go get ready to leave our little island paradise." She took him by the hand and they walked back up the beach.

When they got back to the platform, Kaoru was sleeping again. His face was flushed. She put her hand to his cheek. He was burning up with fever. They had to find a way to cool him down. Haruhi took her towel and ran back down to the water's edge. She soaked the towel in the water and then wrung it out as best she could. She hurried back up to the platform and spread the wet towel over Kaoru. He did not stir. She sat next to him as he slept. She hoped the rescue party would get there before it was too late.

oOoOo

It must have been hours since they had seen the plane, and there was still no sign of any rescuers. "Maybe they didn't know we were stranded," theorized Tamaki. "Maybe they thought we were just tourists playing on the beach." He sat on the platform with his arms wrapped around his knees, staring out at the ocean with a frown.

"Don't give up hope," encouraged Honey. "I'm sure they are on their way right now! Why don't we have a snack while we're waiting? I'm hungry." They still had a few bananas, but the coconuts were gone. They had opened their last bottle of water, and it was now half empty. "I'll get some more coconuts," Honey offered. He found a nearby coconut tree and shimmied to the top. Pulling a coconut free, he called down, "Look out below!" and dropped the coconut into the sand at the bottom of the tree. He dropped down three more and was about to climb down when he thought he saw something out on the water. From his elevated vantage point, he scanned the horizon. He saw a dark shape in the distance. "Something's coming! Something's coming!" He hollered to the others below before sliding down the tree trunk.

The four of them ran out onto the beach and watched as a large boat approached. When it could come no closer, an inflatable boat was lowered over the side, and several people climbed in before it motored toward the beach. As it neared, Haruhi squinted to see the occupants. Long before she could make out who it was, Honey shouted, "Kyo-chan! Hika-chan!" When the boat reached the shallows of the beach, she saw it was true. Kyoya and Hikaru leapt out of the boat and ran toward them. They all threw themselves at each other, hugging and crying tears of joy.

Hikaru was the first to break away. "Where's Kaoru?" he cried, looking around in panic. They led him up to the platform where his twin lay. He still slept, burning with fever. "Kaoru! Kaoru wake up!" Hikaru shouted, shaking his brother, but he would not awaken. "What happened to him? Why won't he wake up?"

"He hit his head when the boat crashed," Haruhi explained. "It's infected. We did everything we could, but it's not enough. He needs a doctor. He's dehydrated too. We didn't have much water."

"You're probably all dehydrated and could use some medical attention," noted Kyoya. "It seems Kaoru's needs are most urgent though. We have already sent for a helicopter. It had to come from Viti Levu, one of the main islands farther away, but it should be here soon. They will be able to airlift him to the hospital in Suva, the capital city. The rest of us can return on the boat."

"I'm going with him," stated Hikaru firmly. Just as Kyoya had promised, the helicopter soon arrived. They lowered a rescue litter for Kaoru and a harness for Hikaru, and the twins were lifted up into the waiting aircraft. Once inside, Hikaru was forced to sit to the side while medics tended to Kaoru. After they had him patched up and stabilized, they allowed Hikaru to sit next to him. He held his brother's hand, and bringing it to his lips, gently kissed Kaoru's fingers. "I came for you ," he whispered. "I told you I would. You called and I came. Now it's your turn. You need to come back to me." He leaned over and lay his head on his twin's chest as tears came to his eyes. He lie there, softly weeping, until he felt a hand stroke his hair. He lifted his head to see Kaoru looking down at him with a faint smile on his face.

"Hikaru," he murmured, his voice dry, "You're here. Am I dreaming again?"

"No, I'm really here with you," he assured him. "We're together again, and I am not letting you out of my sight this time."

"I thought I lost you."

"Me too." The pair clung to each other for the remainder of the flight. Nothing short of a nuclear explosion could have parted them.

oOoOo

**A/N:** Up next- Kyoya and Hikaru's story. Be prepared to go back in time. Initiate flashback sequence….

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time.


	10. Searching

oOoOo

_**Two days earlier**_

oOoOo

Kyoya swam to the surface after plunging into the water. A yellow bundle floated nearby, and he quickly grabbed for it. Thankfully, it was the life raft. He found the cord, gave it a firm tug, and the raft began to inflate. Unfortunately, the bag of lifesaving equipment that came with the life raft had not washed overboard. He would have to make do without. Holding tightly to the side of the raft, Kyoya looked around. It was difficult to see much, as his glasses had fallen off when he had hit the water. He spotted something orange bobbing in the waves and swam toward it with the raft in tow. It turned out to be Hikaru.

"Hikaru! Over here!" called Kyoya. Hikaru spun in the water and seeing Kyoya, swam toward him. "Hikaru, can you see the yacht?"

"It's over that way," he said, pointing. Already the boat was becoming not much more than a speck in the distance. They began a futile swim toward the boat, but eventually gave it up as the distance increased and their endurance waned. With much struggling and arguing, the two exhausted boys managed to climb into the life raft. They lie there breathless for awhile.

"Well, with any luck," Kyoya said finally, "this storm will soon pass, and the others will be able to get the boat turned around and come back for us. If I can get the electrical system repaired, we can call for help and get the bilge pump and motor running." For a time, it seemed as though Kyoya's plan was working. The storm did indeed blow over, and the sea calmed. That is where their luck ran out. The pair sat in the tiny raft, watching for the sailboat's return. They saw no sign of it, and soon the sun began to sink in the sky.

"I hope they are okay," said Hikaru anxiously.

"They are probably in better shape than we are," assured Kyoya. "As long as the boat stays afloat that is. At least they have food and water."

"Stays afloat?" questioned Hikaru in alarm. "You mean the boat might sink?"

"It was taking on water before we went overboard," Kyoya confessed.

"What are we sitting here for then?!" Hikaru yelled. "They could be drowning right now! We have to go find them!" He leaned over the side of the rubber raft and began paddling frantically with his hands.

Kyoya grabbed him by his life jacket and pulled him back into the middle of the raft. "Get back in here, you idiot, before you capsize the raft and drown both of us!" he scolded.

"But Kaoru…." Hikaru protested.

"You won't be any good to Kaoru dead," Kyoya pointed out. Hikaru sat in the middle of the raft, his head hung in defeat. As the sky continued to darken, he began to shiver.

"Don't take this the wrong way," said Kyoya as he slid over and huddled up next to Hikaru. "Our body heat is all we have to keep us warm tonight." Hikaru did not object. He was used to having someone close beside him. He just wished it had been Kaoru. Before long, the two boys fell asleep leaning against one another.

oOoOo

Hikaru was abruptly awoken by a strong wind and a deafening roar. At first he thought it was another storm. A bright light shone down upon the two boys in their tiny craft. Kyoya shaded his eyes from the glare and squinted upward. He saw a man, harnessed to a line, descending toward them.

"Master Kyoya," shouted the man as he touched down on the raft. "It is good to see you safe." Even without his glasses, Kyoya recognized the man as one of the Ootori private police. The officer helped the boys into harnesses, and when they were secure, the three of them were lifted up into the helicopter hovering above.

Once they were safe inside, Kyoya asked, "The others, did you find them?"

"Sorry, sir," answered the officer. "We were lucky to find the two of you. We were heading back for the night when you were spotted. It's too dark to continue searching for the time being."

Hikaru lunged at the officer, grabbing him by his jacket. "We have to keep looking! We have to find them now! They could be dying!"

"I understand your distress," emphasized the officer, trying to diffuse the situation, "But there's nothing we can do right now. I'm sorry. We will continue the search at first light."

"That's not good enough!" raged Hikaru shaking the man. "Kaoru is out there somewhere. He needs me! I need him!" It took Kyoya and two other men to pull Hikaru off the poor officer.

"Hikaru! Calm down!" Kyoya demanded. "This is pointless. If we kept searching tonight, we would be exhausted by tomorrow, when we stand a much better chance of finding them. I know how you feel. Do you think I am not worried as well? They are my friends too. But we have to think rationally if we want to help them."

The shadow king's rebuke cowed Hikaru, and he stopped fighting. He sat back and stared out the window at the inky blackness below. Kyoya was right. There was nothing they could do. Hikaru had never felt so helpless.

oOoOo

The search team leader insisted that Kyoya and Hikaru be taken to the hospital in Suva to be examined for any possible injuries. They were found to be in good health and released. It was suggested that they stay in Suva for the night, but both of them wanted to return to the resort, where they would be closer to the search area first thing in the morning. They hired a private plane which would be faster than the helicopter, but it was still nearly 2:00 AM by they time they got back to the island.

"Get some sleep," Kyoya told Hikaru as they were dropped off at their neighboring bures.

"I'll try," replied Hikaru sullenly as he walked to his bure.

Kyoya did not follow his own advice. After finding his spare glasses, he poured over nautical charts, and satellite images of the storm on his laptop, trying to calculate the most likely place to find his friends. Over an hour later, he decided he better go to bed, or he would be worthless the next morning.

He had just turned out the light when he heard a knock on his door. He opened the door to see Hikaru standing there in his pajamas, his eyes red. "I'm sorry to bother you," he said quietly, casting his eyes downward. "I can't sleep. My bure is too…empty. Could I maybe…sleep over here?" Kyoya stepped aside and let him enter. He had been sharing this bure with Tamaki, so there were two beds. Hikaru settled himself into the extra bed, and though he didn't have his twin by his side, he could at least hear Kyoya's breathing to remind him he was not alone. Eventually he fell into a light sleep.

oOoOo

No more than two hours had passed before Hikaru found himself awake again. It would be light soon, and they could begin their search. Kyoya was still asleep. Normally, it would not be wise to disturb him, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Standing a safe distance from the bed, Hikaru started out calling softly, "Kyoya…. Kyoya…. it's time to wake up. It's morning, we can go searching now." Receiving no response from the sleeping shadow king, Hikaru lost his patience. "KYOYA!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. Kyoya sat bolt upright, glared at Hikaru and growled. "I'm sorry," Hikaru added hastily, "but it's morning and we have to go. I'll meet you at the main complex in 15 minutes." He quickly left before Kyoya could retaliate. Hikaru went to his own bure to get dressed. Kyoya threw off the covers and got out of bed with a groan. As much as he hated mornings, this was important. He started to get ready to go.

Hikaru was waiting at the main complex as promised. "Can we go now?" Hikaru asked impatiently.

"We need to eat something first," insisted Kyoya.

"I'm not hungry," argued the anxious twin.

"Look, as I have already stated before, we are of no use to the search team if we are not alert. It's bad enough we didn't get much sleep last night. We have not eaten anything since lunchtime yesterday. I can't have you passing out from hunger. Now shut up and eat something," Kyoya commanded.

"Fine," retorted Hikaru. He stomped into the dining pavilion and went up to a couple seated at a table, having an early breakfast. "Excuse me," he said politely. He grabbed a banana out of the woman's hand and a slice of toast from the man's plate. They looked at him, bewildered. "Thank you," he added, and stormed back out to Kyoya. "You happy now?" he said taking a large bite of the banana. "Let's go," he mumbled, his mouth full. He turned and walked out to the vehicle that was waiting to take them to the marina. Kyoya just shook his head and stopped in the kitchen to get something quick to eat before following Hikaru outside.

At the marina they saw a small fleet of vessels, manned and ready to begin the search. There were also four light aircraft waiting on the nearby landing strip. Kyoya conferred with the search team leaders, and showed them the nautical charts he had been studying the night before. They divided the area to be searched into sections, and assigned each vessel a search zone. It was decided that Kyoya and Hikaru would each go in different search planes. The planes could cover more ground, or sea as the case may be, and had a better chance of finding their lost friends. Once the search plan was established, they all set out on their mission.

They spent the entire day scouring the sea for any sign of the missing Host Club members. Once in awhile, they would stop back on the island to rest and refuel. Each time they would head back out, full of hope that this venture would be successful, but just as all of the previous occasions, they came back empty handed. Eventually, night fell, and they had to suspend the search again. Dejectedly, Kyoya and Hikaru returned to the bure, to spend yet another restless night worrying about their missing companions.

oOoOo

**A/N: **I am trying to keep the timeline consistent, and hope I am succeeding. Please keep reviewing. Reviews make me happy, and when I am happy, I write more.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time.


	11. Connections

oOoOo

Hikaru went to Kyoya's bure again. There was no way he could ever fall asleep alone in the bed he had once shared with Kaoru. Hikaru sat on Tamaki's bed while Kyoya looked over the charts again. The twin was silent for a long time before he finally spoke, "What if we don't find them?"

"We will find them," Kyoya responded. He would not consider any other possibility.

"But what if we don't?" Hikaru repeated despondently. "They have been missing for more than 24 hours. What if we never see them again?"

Hikaru had been so focused on finding his twin, that he hadn't given the others much thought. Now he did. He pictured Mori, strong and silent, with a cheerful Honey perched on his shoulder hugging Bun-Bun. The two of them making such an odd pair, but almost as close to one another as the twins were. And Tamaki…Tono. He could be an idiot, and overly melodramatic, but he had a good heart and was always willing to offer help to anyone who needed it. He would often surprise them all with words of wisdom and insight. He was the first to accept that the twins were contrary. They could be individuals and one at the same time. If it weren't for Tamaki's persistence, the twins would still be isolated in their own little world. Then there was Haruhi, the only person who had ever been able to tell the twins apart. She knew them as individuals, and despite her protests, Hikaru could tell that she enjoyed spending time with them. She understood him, and could even sometimes tell what he was thinking. No one had ever done that before, other than Kaoru.

Kaoru…his Kaoru. His brother, his twin, his world. Hikaru didn't know what he would do without Kaoru. He would go crazy whenever they were apart even for a day, which didn't happen often if they could help it. They had always been together, since before they were even born. Hikaru couldn't imagine it any other way. He sometimes thought of single babies, and how lonely they must be without a warm body next to them. He was glad he never had to experience being alone like that. But now he did, and it scared the hell out of him.

"We will find them," Kyoya repeated firmly, breaking Hikaru from his distressing thoughts. "Look," he said, pointing to his laptop. "There are reports of debris washing up on islands in the Southern Lau group."

"Debris?!" Hikaru said in alarm. "Does that mean the boat was wrecked?"

"I don't know," replied Kyoya soberly, "but it does give us a good place to start searching tomorrow. For now, we should try to get some sleep."

Hikaru crawled into bed as Kyoya turned out the light. The twin hugged a pillow trying to pretend it was Kaoru, but it was not an adequate substitute. He lay awake for a long time, shedding silent tears, not wanting to disturb Kyoya.

Kyoya, however, was well aware of Hikaru's suffering. Though he wanted to comfort the twin, he was afraid of cracking the emotional barrier he had created around himself. He needed to remain calm and level headed if he hoped to find his friends. He could not allow his emotions to take over. Anger was a feeling he knew how to deal with; grief was not. Kyoya rolled over and forced himself to sleep.

oOoOo

"Kaoru!" Hikaru awoke in a cold sweat. He had been dreaming. Kaoru was trapped, and Hikaru couldn't get to him. Then Kaoru was drowning, and calling to Hikaru for help. He suddenly knew his twin was still alive, and was out there waiting for Hikaru to come and find him. He even felt like he knew where to find him.

Irregardless of his own personal safety, Hikaru launched himself at Kyoya's bed. "Wake up!" he shouted, shaking the dazed shadow king. "I know where he is…where they are!"

"Hikaru! What's going on? What time is it?" Kyoya asked irately, squinting at the clock by the bed. It was just after 5:00 AM. The sun was not up yet, but it would be soon.

"I know where Kaoru is. He came to me. I saw him. We have to go to him. I'm sure the others are with him." he blurted fervently.

Kyoya sat up and put on his glasses. "Where is he then?" he asked impatiently.

"He's…well…I…" He couldn't put it into words. He somehow knew where Kaoru was, but was unable to put a name to the place. It was a place he had never been to before. He grabbed one of the nautical charts and examined it, hoping the answer would leap out at him, but it didn't. He couldn't say where Kaoru was; he could only feel it.

"What good does it do if you can't tell me where they are?" said Kyoya, his frustration growing.

"I don't know," admitted Hikaru, "but maybe we could just go and I could show you."

"Fine," Kyoya said gruffly as he climbed out of bed. "The search teams should be assembling soon anyway. We might as well get ready." He headed off to the bathroom to shower and dress. Kyoya had seen evidence in the past of a strange connection between the twins. It had helped Hikaru find Kaoru before. Maybe it would work again.

oOoOo

The search teams were just beginning to organize when they arrived at the marina. The two boys had stopped at the main complex for a quick breakfast; this time without resorting to theft. It would take awhile before the boats would be ready to go, so the boys decided to commandeer a pilot and one of the planes.

"And where is it exactly you two wish to go?" asked the pilot.

"We're not quite sure," acknowledged Hikaru. "Just get us into the air, and I will let you know."

"I need to have a destination. I need to submit a flight plan," argued the pilot.

"Here, we'll go here," Kyoya thrust the nautical chart at the pilot, pointing to the Southern Lau group of islands, where the debris had been found. "If we need to change direction, you can radio it in. We must leave now, or perhaps we should find a more capable pilot, and you will no longer be necessary. Understood."

"Understood, Sir," responded the pilot. It was not worth losing his job over a technicality. He went to prepare the plane for departure.

Soon they were in the air and headed south. Kyoya looked at Hikaru expectantly. "Well?"

"I'm not sure," the twin confessed. "It felt so strong this morning when I woke up. Maybe it was just the dream. I don't know. What was I thinking? It's hopeless. I'm useless."

"Give it time," Kyoya encouraged. "We will just continue on this course. If anything comes to you, let us know."

Hikaru sighed and leaned his head against the window, looking down at the blue sea below. Kaoru was down there somewhere, waiting for Hikaru to find him. But how could he. It was stupid of him to think that some psychic twin link could actually lead him to Kaoru. He must already be going crazy without his brother.

oOoOo

"Now look who's giving up," said Kaoru with a smirk. Hikaru looked out the window at his twin. He stood in a basket suspended beneath a brightly colored hot air balloon. "I thought you wanted to find me?"

"I'm trying, but the sea is so big," explained Hikaru.

"Alright then, I guess I will just get more alone time with Haruhi," teased Kaoru. "She slept next to me last night you know." he taunted.

"Hey," Hikaru protested. "I'm the only one that gets to sleep next to you!"

"I wish it had been you. I think Haruhi snores. Or maybe that was Mori." he reconsidered. "Anyway, I think I am going to go see what the others are up to." The red, orange, and yellow balloon began to drift away. "You know where to find me Hikaru. Come and find me Hikaru…find me Hikaru…Hikaru."

oOoOo

"Kaoru, wait!" Hikaru leaned forward and hit his head on the airplane window. "Ouch!" he said, rubbing his forehead. Had he fallen asleep? Had he been dreaming? There was no balloon in the sky now, but he had clearly seen the direction it had gone. "That way!" he called up to the pilot. "Go that way!" he pointed to the southwest; the direction the balloon had gone.

"What the…why?" questioned the pilot.

"Just do it," ordered Kyoya. "I've seen this before. You just have to trust him." Not wishing to anger the young Ootori, the pilot did as instructed, calling in the change of course on the radio.

Hikaru stared anxiously out the window. It was nearly noon when islands began appearing in the ocean below them. He peered down at them, hoping to find signs of life, but saw nothing. Just when he thought that the whole thing must have been a silly dream, he spotted something. It was a triangle; a bright red, orange and yellow triangle on one of the islands below. "Over there!" he shouted. "That island over there, go closer!" He grabbed a pair of binoculars and focused on the island. There were people on the beach. As they got closer, he counted four of them. "Go lower!" he demanded. The plane circled around for another sweep. He could see them clearly now, waving up to the plane. He saw Mori and Honey, Haruhi and Tamaki. Where was Kaoru? "One more time!" he begged. Again, the plane looped around and they flew over once more. Hikaru saw no sign of Kaoru. "I don't see Kaoru! Where is Kaoru?" he cried, panic stricken.

"Calm down, I'm sure he's there," Kyoya reassured him. "He brought you here didn't he." Kyoya was right. Kaoru had to be there, didn't he?

The pilot noted the coordinates, and radioed to find the nearest island with an airstrip where they could land. There was one located about a half an hour away from their current position. He also called for the nearest rescue boat to rendezvous with them there. It would be a two hour trip back to the castaways by boat. Kyoya suggested they also send for a helicopter to head straight to the island in case of any medical emergencies.

They soon landed on the island of Kabara and were driven to a marina where they waited impatiently for the rescue boat to arrive. Once it did, they boarded and headed straight for the island where they had seen their missing friends. After a seemingly endless voyage, they finally neared the island. They anchored off shore, and an inflatable launch was lowered into the water. Kyoya and Hikaru insisted on being in the landing party. As they approached, they could see their friends waiting on the beach. It was the most wonderful sight they had ever seen. As soon as they were close enough, they jumped out of the boat and ran to their friends. It was a joyous reunion, until Hikaru noticed that Kaoru was still missing. He was led to his brother, lying prone under the colorful triangle that billowed in the breeze. His brother was not yet safe. Hikaru stayed close by his twin's side while they waited for the rescue helicopter, and then on the way to the hospital, they shared their own private reunion when Kaoru finally awoke. The two were now one once again, and all was right with the world.

oOoOo

**A/N:** I recently discovered, while doing some research, that Fiji had a military coup last December, and there has be a travel advisory since then, especially in the capital city of Suva. I'm glad that this is a work of fiction, and that this Fiji is the idyllic tropical paradise that I first imagined. Apparently this is the fourth coup in two decades. It is sad that a place so beautiful can be full of such turmoil. Is there no place on earth immune to ignorance and hatred? Now I remember why I live in a fantasy world. Thank you for joining me.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Host Club characters. I am only borrowing them, again. I promise to put them back when I'm done. I did last time.


End file.
